Chapter 61: Chi Ye Studio Established
Chi Ye was still thoroughly “trained” after all.
Just right, he also needed to adapt to his “new strength.” With talent, he had to practice more and make progress!
And the Empress Dowager was indeed too easy to coax; she never got tired of listening no matter how many times. Chi Ye felt like he had sung enough, but she was especially happy listening.
Seeing her so happy, Chi Ye’s originally lax mindset vanished, and he wanted to continue singing.
But the Empress Dowager remembered something and stretched out her little hand to stop him: “That’s enough, Teacher Chi.”
“Finally tired of it?”
Chi Ye was overjoyed.
“No.” Jin Xia’s little face was full of smiles as she thought and said: “Singers need to take care of their voices. I’m happy listening, but I don’t want you to get too tired.”
Chi Ye: “…”
Thanks, you only say that now.
“The food has arrived. Let’s eat together, Teacher Chi.”
The front desk waiter had already delivered the takeout. The Empress Dowager was craving this, and she invited the number one singer god in her heart, a certain Chi, to share “top international gourmet food.”
Chi Ye wasn’t polite either. The two immediately started eating barbecue in the high-end private room of the KTV!
After finishing the international gourmet food, the two sang happily for another hour. They checked the time and reluctantly left the KTV.
It was already approaching two in the morning, but the New Year’s Eve atmosphere was still there.
Chi Ye and Jin Xia walked out of the warm KTV, and the cold wind carrying snowflakes blew over.
Unknowingly, the asphalt road was covered with a layer of dreamy silver gauze. The streetlights emitted a soft halo, outlining the snowflakes’ contours even more clearly.
—The first snow of 2025.
“Wow, Teacher Chi, it’s snowing, it’s snowing!”
The cold wind carried snowflakes, naughtily drilling into the fluffy collar.
Jin Xia’s starry eyes sparkled with surprise. She ran down the steps, stood in the two-finger-thick blanket of snow, and waved to Chi Ye: “Come down quick, come down quick.”
“Be careful, don’t slip and fall.”
Chi Ye walked down the steps, not understanding Jin Xia’s happiness: “Isn’t it just a bit of snow? What’s so exciting about that?”
“Teacher Chi, you don’t get it.”
The Empress Dowager said seriously, looking up at the snowflakes falling from the sky. Her voice muffled from inside the mask: “This is called romance!”
“…” Chi Ye put the hat from behind her down jacket on her: “Stop with the romance. It’s so late; if we don’t go back, your aunt will come after us with a knife.”
The fluffy white fur brushed her cheek, but the Empress Dowager didn’t care: “It’s fine. I’ll play as long as I want!”
Chi Ye: “…”
“Hey, no, I’m really curious.” Chi Ye gave her a sideways glance: “Since you’re so capable, why were you so strictly controlled at home before? Why were you so obedient?”
“No.” Jin Xia said casually: “I’m not obedient, Teacher Chi.”
“So you could eat whatever you wanted?”
“Yeah!”
She paused, frowned, and said: “But when I want to eat something, they won’t let me… They’re stronger than me, I can’t do anything, so I just don’t eat it.”
Chi Ye: “…”
You really know how to bend and stretch!
“But on certain issues, I won’t yield!”
Chi Ye was surprised: “Like what?”
“Like… I want to act, to sing, and if the family disagrees, I throw a fit, and they can’t do anything!”
Chi Ye: “…”
Jin Xia’s bright eyes looked at Chi Ye: “So, Teacher Chi, for anything, I just need to throw a fit.”
“Yeah… that really sounds so authoritative, sis.”
Chi Ye had to agree.
For the Empress Dowager, perhaps in her worldview, she had never encountered a problem that couldn’t be solved with a little fit?
Chi Ye wasn’t sure, but he felt they needed to go back!
If they didn’t, he would be the one getting “thrown a fit” at.
Just as he was thinking that, the phone in the Empress Dowager’s pocket rang.
She took it out, saw it, and answered: “Hello? Zhang Jie.”
“Xia Xia, where did you go? Why aren’t you back yet?”
“Oh, I went out to play. Has Aunt finished? Should I bring Teacher Chi back now?”
“Sigh, don’t mention it. No deal was made; your aunt is sulking… She said you can come back alone. See that Chi Ye next time.”
“Oh, like that.” Jin Xia thought for a moment, suddenly remembered something, and waved her hand: “Okay, I’ll head back now.”
“Where are you? I’ll send someone to pick you up.”
“No need, no need. We’re heading back soon!”
The Empress Dowager refused, chatted a bit more, then hung up.
“They’re urging you? Let’s go.”
Chi Ye had heard the whole thing and said: “I’ll take you back, then we’ll see each other next time.”
“Oh.”
The Empress Dowager’s originally happy mood drooped again, but she thought of something and smiled mysteriously: “Teacher Chi, once I transfer the money, our ‘company’ will open!”
“Yes, yes, you and I, plotting great ventures together.”
Chi Ye had already booked a ride-hailing car on his mobile phone and casually responded. As soon as the car arrived, the two headed straight to the hotel, arriving half an hour later.
“Teacher Chi, notify me when you release the song!”
“Got it.”
Chi Ye watched the Empress Dowager’s back until she completely disappeared, then turned around, called another car, and returned home.
He had been thinking about the studio for a long time.
The first EP was the priority right now, but film and television projects couldn’t be neglected either.
He already had a preliminary plan and target. Now with “investment,” he needed to go back and refine it.
…
Meanwhile.
A certain presidential suite in the hotel.
Jin Sui, who had just taken a shower while sulking, wrapped in a bathrobe, sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, poured a glass of red wine: “What did Xia Xia say?”
“She had no reaction… seemed not to care much.”
Zhang Jie recalled the Empress Dowager’s mood when she answered the call and learned “come back alone without Chi Ye,” shaking her head: “Probably… just ordinary friends.”
“Whether ordinary friends or boyfriend, that’s not the point. The family wants to control her, but I think life is about experiences. Who says dating means you have to get married?”
“Xia Xia has grown up without much exposure to this stuff. Experiencing it isn’t great?”
Jin Sui was all about indulgence: “As long as Xia Xia is happy, anything goes.”
Zhang Jie: “…”
Indeed, no one has more say than you—after all, you’re a hundred pounds of rebellion in a ninety-nine-pound body!
“This is fine too. Since Xia Xia doesn’t care, I won’t sign him.”
Jin Sui rubbed her temples: “This Chi Ye… I’ve looked at his info these past few days. His business ability is too poor. A male idol group alum who got some small traffic from scandals… No, my taste is so good; how did Xia Xia not inherit that?”
Zhang Jie: “…”
Your good taste referring to the three divorces in ten years?
Or the taste of entering the internal entertainment circle after the cake was all divided, not even hot shit left…
She couldn’t say much. Little Thousand-Year-Old was too proud. This personality worked in the Hong Kong circle back then, with family checking in occasionally. But in the internal entertainment circle now, without changing this arrogant style, there’d be no good outcome.
—Getting blocked multiple times trying to sign Yu Yan was proof!
“Say, if I sign him for Xia Xia, do I have to promote him, throw resources at him?”
“But Yue Na tried before and couldn’t prop him up.”
Jin Sui was quite satisfied with the current result: “This is good now. Just don’t sign him; let him fend for himself.”
Click.
At that moment, the room door was pushed open.
The Empress Dowager, wrapped like a “brown bear,” staggered in.
“Aunt!”
A coquettish voice rang out. Jin Xia hurriedly changed into slippers and was about to pounce over.
“Wait!”
Jin Sui scowled: “How are you dressed? So undignified.”
Empress Dowager: “Huh?”
Jin Sui still wasn’t satisfied, looking her up and down: “So pretty, but now you’re acting all rough.”
Jin Xia: “…”
“Where did you go? Didn’t I tell you to come back to the hotel and wait for me?”
“Oh.” Mentioning this, the Empress Dowager’s peach blossom eyes narrowed happily: “I went singing with Teacher Chi.”
“Teacher Chi sings so well! He’s the best singer in my heart!”
Little Thousand-Year-Old, Zhang Jie: “?!”
They exchanged a glance, and Little Thousand-Year-Old’s heart sank.
Done, she’s been totally fooled!
This Chi Ye has some tricks; did he take classes at the “male socialite training camp”?!
“What’s wrong with you two?”
“Did the talk with Yu Yan go smoothly? Or couldn’t sign him?”
“Oh.”
Little Thousand-Year-Old came back to her senses, maintaining her aunt’s composure: “Not bad. Unrivaled top streamer, a bit full of himself, very normal. No issue… He’s already agreed.”
Jin Xia: “?”
Her peach blossom eyes suspiciously glanced at her aunt but said nothing.
Zhang Jie covered her face beside them: Oh god, you mean he agreed without hesitation to reject you?
Sui Zong has gone mad now!
Little Thousand-Year-Old felt a bit awkward too, skipped the topic, observed Jin Xia’s expression, and probed: “That… Chi… Chi Ye, right? You want him to sign with Aunt’s company?”
The Empress Dowager was stunned and immediately waved her hands: “No, no signing.”
Jin Sui: “?!”
Her heart leaped with joy!
Xia Xia’s attitude showed she had overthought it; probably not even ordinary friends…
She thought Xia Xia finally made a friend, but turns out…
Sigh.
Thoughts raced; Jin Sui felt both sad and happy, unsure of her own feelings.
Then Jin Xia’s next words straight-up crashed Little Thousand-Year-Old’s system.
“Sign what? I’ve already promised to invest in Teacher Chi’s personal studio. No need to trouble Aunt!”
Jin Sui: “…?”
The Empress Dowager hummed smugly, not speaking, and even glanced triumphantly at her aunt.
If Chi Ye were here, he’d dub for the Empress Dowager: Aunt, step back a bit!
“Well… okay, as long as you’re happy… Do you have the money?”
“I do! My filming fees and endorsement fees are so high; how could I not?”
Jin Sui received Chi Ye’s treatment—silenced multiple times by her niece, speechless.
“Alright, Aunt, don’t be sad. Isn’t it just a Yu Yan? Don’t worry, Teacher Chi will crush him later… and those four veteran leading men… not worth a hair of Teacher Chi!”
Jin Sui: “?!”
Furious: “Who did you learn this ‘dirty talk’ from? Crush, a hair, veteran leading men… So undignified!”
Jin Xia realized she got a bit “carried away with pride,” immediately lowered her head, pretending to look aggrieved.
“…Alright, no more on that.”
Jin Sui waved her hand: “See what Aunt prepared for you?”
Zhang Jie pushed over a cart with all sorts of small snacks, mostly with English labels.
“Snack cart, how about it? Like it? You loved these as a kid.”
The Empress Dowager glanced indifferently but nodded excitedly: “Yummy, thanks Aunt!”
Hmm…
Teacher Chi probably hasn’t had these imported snacks… Should I hide some and bring to him next time?
Thinking of that, the Empress Dowager got really happy: “Aunt, you’re the best!”
Jin Sui was very satisfied with her niece’s reaction and nodded: “That’s more like you, Xia Xia. Don’t learn dirty words; be mindful of your clothes too… Even though you’re out now, remember, don’t let anyone look down on our family!”
“Okay, okay, I know. Relax, Aunt!”
The Empress Dowager took out her mobile phone: “I forgot on the way back earlier. I’ll transfer the money to Teacher Chi first!”
Jin Sui: “…”
Fuck, what to do if I want to throw her into the Huangpu River?
…
The afterglow of New Year’s Eve hadn’t faded with yesterday’s gala.
In the new year, many in the entertainment industry collapsed, and many ascended.
Companies closed, new ones were born.
New Spring arrived, all things renewed.
One week later.
Chi Ye’s personal studio was officially established on January 8, 2025.
After receiving the Empress Dowager’s angel round investment, Keke got busy. This time, she wasn’t lost about her future; she was full of energy.
She was quite turning into Teacher Shi.
Chi Ye was also pondering his career plan for the year.
First, Circulation was about to start filming. This project was his first major showcase of “acting strength.” If quality was good, it should be a sure hit.
Crucial for his future development in the film and television circle.
Next was his first personal EP, already in preparation.
A mini album was shorter in production cost and time than a full album—about five or six songs, then see if any suitable additions.
Besides these two career cornerstones, Chi Ye was considering future resources.
The album was straightforward: release it, get results, then continue naturally.
For film and television dramas, he needed to think carefully.
Since he had his own personal studio now, money wasn’t short-term issue… Circulation could be a small hit, double harvest of traffic and reputation.
But not enough to promote him to true top streamer.
So next, he planned to take the reins on his first “big drama.”
“Love O2O, or other projects?”
Chi Ye sat in the study, rubbing his chin.
Modern idol drama investments were generally lower than others. Love O2O needed special effects, but comparatively, it was more appealing.
The only questionable thing was that Love O2O had no original novel in this world, but… actually, Love O2O’s big hit didn’t rely on the novel anyway; pure quality and sweetness did it.
In recent years, the modern idol drama market was declining year by year; everyone rushed to ancient idol dramas.
As long as Love O2O’s quality was guaranteed, it should ascend.
Chi Ye habitually noted Love O2O in his notebook, marking it for selection.
First update today
